Bergamot Station
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 829-5854
- Cross Street:
- Cloverfield Boulevard
Editorial Review for Bergamot Station – by Lilla Zuckerman
The Background
Once a train depot for the now-defunct Red Line trolley, this warehouse complex houses more than 30 art galleries and the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Converted into an art gallery enclave in the '90s, it now stands as L.A.'s most stylish cultural center, frequented by local artists, designers, collectors and tourists.
The View
The stylish complex manages to mingle bohemian style with Westside wealth. The Shoshana Wayne Gallery, the pioneer of Bergamot galleries, showcases artists such as Yoko Ono and Philip Argent. Track 16 exhibits collaborative art, from performance to paintings, from recognizable names like David Byrne and Karen Finley. The Gallery of Functional Art sells beautiful and bizarre furniture, lighting and sculpture. Unique shopping experiences can be found at Sculpture to Wear, an unusual jeweler and the Colleagues Gallery, a couture vintage-clothing shop.
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Insider Tips
ParkingThe large parking lot is always free, but fills to capacity on opening nights, so arrive early.
When to GoOpening night receptions are staggered, except for Bergamot's annual, group "reopening" in September, when galleries coordinate receptions. These events are almost always free--unless there's a special benefit.
Know Before You GoLocated in the A building, the Gallery Cafe at Bergamot Station serves soups, sandwiches, salads and cappuccinos.
User Reviews for Bergamot Station
08/05/2008 Posted by kiercemartin
So I went and checked out Bergamot over the weekend and I don' t know if my expectations were too high or what, but it just wasn't as cool as I expected it to be. Being an old train station there's not a lot of flow to the whole thing and there's no information about any of the galleries or artists or the museum itself anywhere to be found. So that kind of left us feeling a bit stranded. Regardless, there was some cool art and it is a cool venue. I feel like maybe it just depends on the art that's being featured at the time and we just got it on an off weekend. Definitely worth checking out though!
07/03/2007 Posted by leschnei
Friends and family have always told me that I needed visit Bergamot Station and I now know why they were so insistent. I found at least 6 shows that I liked when I was there (quite a feat for someone who has super particular art standards) and really enjoyed the space. It is a local diamond in the rough!
Pros: Great art, cool atmosphere
Cons: Limited Parking
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
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